14th Saeima Speaker's Headlines

Edvards Smiltēns: Common foreign policy a matter of national security, we all serve as diplomats
“If we want to safeguard our values, the rule of law, our way of life, we must be aware that our battlefield includes raising awareness of Russia’s aggression among the wider international community, and support for holding Russia accountable. The unity of our foreign policy objectives and actions is a matter of national security. Foreign policy is not only the responsibility of diplomats. We all serve as diplomats", said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Thursday, January 26, during the annual parliamentary foreign policy debate, reminding that freedom, independence and democracy are never to be taken for granted.
Edvards Smiltēns: the Barricades—a united, unbreakable wall of courage and determination
“Back then, it seemed as though the entire Latvia were barricading. Physically here in Riga, across Latvia, and figuratively—in people’s hearts. A united, unbreakable wall of courage and determination. People came from all regions and cities to defend their freedom, not because it was officially organised by the authorities, but upon invitation of the Popular Front. Without hesitation or second thoughts,” said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Friday, 20th January, lighting the commemorative bonfire on the Commemoration Day of Participants of the 1991 Barricades.
Edvards Smiltēns meets Ukrainian senior officials in Kyiv
Continuing their visit to Ukraine, the delegation led by the Speaker of the Saeima, Edvards Smiltēns, met with the highest Ukrainian officials — President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, Minister of Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.
Edvards Smiltēns in the Ukrainian Parliament: Closing the gateway to hell in Ukraine is the duty of the entire civilised world
“With your heroism, you have achieved the impossible — a real awakening! Both on the battlefields and by transmitting such a powerful push of courage and determination that it has reached every corner of the free world, touching the hearts of billions of people. It has cleared the mist of illusions and created an unprecedented rise of solidarity and cooperation, and urged our nations to remember and appreciate what matters most — our freedom, independence, and democracy," said Speaker of the Saeima, Edvards Smiltēns, on Thursday, 12 January, addressing Ukrainian parliamentarians of the Verkhovna Rada in Kyiv.
Edvards Smiltēns in Warsaw: Rail Baltica is also a security project of strategic importance
From today’s point of view, the railroad project Rail Baltica is no longer just a convenient passenger link with Western Europe. Its strategic importance is increasing from a security perspective, as an artery for transporting military cargo in case of need, noted Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, during his visit to Warsaw, capital of Poland, where he underlined the need for the Baltic states and Poland to develop joint infrastructure projects of strategic importance.
Edvards Smiltēns in Poland: just like a century ago, our soldiers are defending common values
One hundred years ago, Polish and Latvian soldiers fought the Red Army side by side to free the Latgale region and defend the newly established Latvian state. Today we are close allies and strategic partners, standing guard over the values that laid the foundation of our countries, noted Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, in Warsaw, during a meeting with Elżbieta Witek, Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland. A delegation led by the Speaker of the Saeima is currently on an official visit to Poland.
Speaker of the Saeima and Ambassador of Azerbaijan discuss ways to expand cooperation
On Friday, 2 December, Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, met with Elnur Sultanov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the Republic of Latvia, and suggested seeking new opportunities for cooperation and expanding dialogue in areas of high added value.
Speaker Smiltēns in Lithuania: we must work together closely to overcome evil
“This is a difficult time, but it is also a time of opportunity. Latvia and Lithuania must find new avenues for cooperation and speed up ongoing projects of strategic importance,” highlighted Speaker Smiltēns during his meeting with Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen, Speaker of the Parliament of Lithuania, in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania, on Tuesday, 29 November.
Speaker Smiltēns in Estonia: our cooperation must bring tangible benefits for the people in both countries
Our common goal is furthering regional integration. In other words, we must work to achieve increasingly seamless borders between the Baltic States, so that the people living, working, or relaxing in a neighbouring country on a daily basis would encounter increasingly less inconvenience and bureaucratic obstacles. This was highlighted by Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, during a meeting with Jüri Ratas, Speaker of the Estonian Parliament, in Vilnius, capital of Estonia, on Tuesday, 22 November.
On the Saeima centenary, Edvards Smiltēns calls to keep sight of the goal of building a free and democratic Latvia
We can learn from the predecessors of our Parliament the importance of not losing clarity about the greater goal to be achieved—and not getting lost in the trifling matters of everyday life. One hundred years ago, in this building, our predecessors set themselves the goal of building a free and democratic Latvia, and they chose the path of parliamentarism. A difficult, complex, winding, and steep path, but ultimately the only right path. A path that has largely determined who we are, what our country is now and what it will be like a hundred years from now, said Edvards Smiltēns, Speaker of the Saeima, on Monday, 7 November, at the ceremonial sitting of the Saeima dedicated to the centenary of the first sitting of the 1st Saeima and the entry into force of the Constitution (Satversme).
Sestdien, 21.decembrī